Learning curve

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The greatest sense of satisfaction comes from knowing you have done your best, for that is all that any of us can ever hope to render. Doing so requires inner strength, perseverance and determination, attributes that don’t show up in win/loss records or statistics. Marshaling all we have in the face adversity, pain, overwhelming odds and even the heartbreak of defeat can forge character and a realization of a timeless truth: Success is not measured against others, but against oneself, for there will always be those who are more talented and more successful. It is important to keep that larger perspective in mind.

This was a trying week for all Sullivan County football teams except for the victorious Sullivan West Bulldogs who overcame early struggles to defeat Eldred 40-6 under the lights in Eldred on September 20. Despite an early turnover and a 73-yard touchdown run by Eldred’s Julian Gottlieb, the Westies used an interception by Cody Franskevicz to find their collective moxie for their first win of the season. Quarterback Richard Shevak rushed for 65 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. Jared Meola tallied three TDs, while Andrew Stabbert had 97 yards rushing, 16 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Zach O’Connor had 13 tackles and four sacks. The Dawgs travel to undefeated Millbrook for their first league game. The following week they will travel to Liberty. In week eight, they’ll head to Tri-Valley. The teams that win at least two of their division games will make it to the playoffs. Millbrook bested Tri-Valley 70-38. They led 50-6 at the half before removing their starters for the remainder of the game. T-V’s Justin Swarthout had a great second half as he rushed for 140 yards on 22 carries. He had TD runs of three, 23, and 15 yards, completed four two-point conversion jaunts and threw a seven-yard TD pass to freshman Michael Schulte. T-V hosts Eldred under the lights on September 27. Both teams are still in search of their first win. Monticello lost a 19-12 heartbreaker to Goshen after leading the Gladiators 12-0 at the half. A late interception led to a Goshen TD with just 48.6 seconds left in the game. Monticello fell to 0-3 (0-2 Class A). Liberty was overpowered by undefeated Class B Highland 48-20. The Indians nearly upset defending Class C champion O’Neill the week before on a failed two-point conversion that would have given the win. Liberty (1-2, 0-1 Class C) travels to Ellenville on September 27 looking to right the ship. Roscoe/Livingston Manor/Downsville (1-2) also lost this week, as they were blanked by Pauling. They travel to winless Pine Plains on September 20.

In boys soccer, Liberty remains the big local winner. The Indians (4-0) downed Eldred 3-1 in the Second Annual Robert VanEtten Jr. Memorial Soccer Tournament. Fallsburg (4-1) bested Monticello (0-5) by the score of 2-0. In the girls tourney, it was Fallsburg over Monticello 3-2 in overtime, while Liberty bested Eldred in a shootout to advance to the championship game on September 28. In other girls soccer Livingston Manor improved to 5-2, with a 2-1 win over Tri-Valley. Annaliese Gorr is tops in Section IX with 22 points as of September 24. She has nine goals and four assists. Fallsburg defeated Sullivan West 2-1 earlier in the week. In boys soccer, Tri-Valley improved to 2-3 with a 2-1 win over Family. Sullivan West remained winless after 3-0 losses to O’Neill and Family. In cross-country, Eldred’s Kayla Maas finished first against Seward and Burke harriers with time of 21:12.65. At the Suffern Invitational held at Bear Mountain, Monticello’s Camryn Johnson took 6th, with a time of 19:21.13.

For albums of photos, visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com[1]. Parents can still sign up for Shadow Play coverage of their sons/daughters. To arrange to receive a DVD of stellar photos from this season, or if you wish the winter/and or spring e-mail rross@sportsinsightsny.com[2].